Tacloban, Philippines—framed by mountains and facing the deep sapphire waters of the Pacific Ocean—was a city on the rise. The bustling provincial capital had a busy port and seaside cathedrals, and is just a few minutes up the road from the site where U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur landed to re-take the Philippines from Japanese forces in World War II. On weekends, farmers and residents of poorer towns for miles around would flock to the city to take in the latest movies or hit the malls.
Long accustomed to fearsome storms, floods, and earthquakes, residents of Tacloban are usually forbearing in the face of natural disasters. That was until Typhoon Haiyan. The sheer magnitude of the super-typhoon that ripped through the middle of the archipelago on November 8, 2013 was unprecedented, with sustained winds of 150 miles per hour and a storm surge over two stories high. The scale of the damage left in its wake was shocking. An estimated 14 million people have been affected, some 6,000 killed, and 4.4 million displaced. President Benigno Aquino declared the devastation a “national calamity.” Typhoon Haiyan, known locally as Yolanda, was certainly historic in its scope, with experts including NASA concluding it may be the most powerful tropical cyclone to ever make landfall.
However, despite the massive logistical challenges and widespread destruction, relief efforts have helped millions to survive. Notwithstanding the blocked roads, destroyed infrastructure, and downed communication lines, global relief networks were able to assist survivors by delivering food, mosquito nets, medical care, and other vital assistance to people in need.
The greatest necessity after the disaster occurred was that of fresh water. With sewage treatment plants destroyed along with their water purification system, over 200,000 Filipinos were left without sanitary water. Within days of the disaster, Utah-based bottled water company, People Water, answered to the dire call.
Unlike most relief groups that have contributed to the relief process after Haiyan, People Water is neither a charity nor a non-profit organization. They are a for-profit, cause-based business committed to alleviating the global water crisis. Teaming up with Water Missions International, a Christian non-profit organization, People Water was able to provide immediate support and installation of multiple filtration systems.
Engineer Karli Band, one of eight Water Mission and People Water staffers on the ground in the Philippines explains, “In a disaster, one of the biggest needs becomes safe water. People are exposed to deteriorated conditions, they’re distressed, and their bodies become much more susceptible to infections and specifically, waterborne diseases,” a threat that still lingers seven months after the tragedy. According to CNBC News, diarrheal diseases such as dysentery along with Shigella , E. coli, Salmonella, and the norovirus, all present risks due to the broken water purification system in the Philippines, as well as human waste from people who are sick that can be mixed in the water supply.
Not only are infectious diseases a concern, but immense economic repercussions connected with deficient water supplies. “A lot of the municipal [water] systems, or whatever they were relying on before, were destroyed. People were buying large 5 gallon bottles of water or they were boiling their own water. Now with the loss of infrastructure, if they wanted to buy a bottle of water, assuming it’s available, it costs five times as much. It’s not just about making sure people have safe water to drink. It’s a way to help them rebuild their homes because they don’t need to spend that time and money on water.”
Volunteers from People Water have been traveling throughout the Philippines accessing community needs and installing filtration systems. With 20 systems now up and running, Water Mission estimates that over 100,000 people are gaining access to drinkable water.
“They’re excited,” Karli says. “They see this system being installed and they know, this is going to save us money so we can rebuild our houses. They’re out working all day. It’s a hot and humid climate. Now they know that they can come and get a drink of water and know that what their drinking water is safe. We tend to think about only the ‘health’ side of it, but this water also aiding in the rebuilding effort. These systems are not just meant to provide temporary relief. They’re going to help in the rebuilding process, and they’re going to be there for generations.”
This article was originally published in the Diplomatic Courier's May/June 2014 print edition. Subscribe here.
Photo Caption: Aerial view of Tacloban after Typhoon Haiyan. A church on the outskirts of Tacloban is one of the few buildings to remain unscathed after Typhoon Haiyan devastated the city on November 8, 2013. Photo by Russell Watkins/Department for International Development/Creative Commons.
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Water From the Desert
May 19, 2014
Tacloban, Philippines—framed by mountains and facing the deep sapphire waters of the Pacific Ocean—was a city on the rise. The bustling provincial capital had a busy port and seaside cathedrals, and is just a few minutes up the road from the site where U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur landed to re-take the Philippines from Japanese forces in World War II. On weekends, farmers and residents of poorer towns for miles around would flock to the city to take in the latest movies or hit the malls.
Long accustomed to fearsome storms, floods, and earthquakes, residents of Tacloban are usually forbearing in the face of natural disasters. That was until Typhoon Haiyan. The sheer magnitude of the super-typhoon that ripped through the middle of the archipelago on November 8, 2013 was unprecedented, with sustained winds of 150 miles per hour and a storm surge over two stories high. The scale of the damage left in its wake was shocking. An estimated 14 million people have been affected, some 6,000 killed, and 4.4 million displaced. President Benigno Aquino declared the devastation a “national calamity.” Typhoon Haiyan, known locally as Yolanda, was certainly historic in its scope, with experts including NASA concluding it may be the most powerful tropical cyclone to ever make landfall.
However, despite the massive logistical challenges and widespread destruction, relief efforts have helped millions to survive. Notwithstanding the blocked roads, destroyed infrastructure, and downed communication lines, global relief networks were able to assist survivors by delivering food, mosquito nets, medical care, and other vital assistance to people in need.
The greatest necessity after the disaster occurred was that of fresh water. With sewage treatment plants destroyed along with their water purification system, over 200,000 Filipinos were left without sanitary water. Within days of the disaster, Utah-based bottled water company, People Water, answered to the dire call.
Unlike most relief groups that have contributed to the relief process after Haiyan, People Water is neither a charity nor a non-profit organization. They are a for-profit, cause-based business committed to alleviating the global water crisis. Teaming up with Water Missions International, a Christian non-profit organization, People Water was able to provide immediate support and installation of multiple filtration systems.
Engineer Karli Band, one of eight Water Mission and People Water staffers on the ground in the Philippines explains, “In a disaster, one of the biggest needs becomes safe water. People are exposed to deteriorated conditions, they’re distressed, and their bodies become much more susceptible to infections and specifically, waterborne diseases,” a threat that still lingers seven months after the tragedy. According to CNBC News, diarrheal diseases such as dysentery along with Shigella , E. coli, Salmonella, and the norovirus, all present risks due to the broken water purification system in the Philippines, as well as human waste from people who are sick that can be mixed in the water supply.
Not only are infectious diseases a concern, but immense economic repercussions connected with deficient water supplies. “A lot of the municipal [water] systems, or whatever they were relying on before, were destroyed. People were buying large 5 gallon bottles of water or they were boiling their own water. Now with the loss of infrastructure, if they wanted to buy a bottle of water, assuming it’s available, it costs five times as much. It’s not just about making sure people have safe water to drink. It’s a way to help them rebuild their homes because they don’t need to spend that time and money on water.”
Volunteers from People Water have been traveling throughout the Philippines accessing community needs and installing filtration systems. With 20 systems now up and running, Water Mission estimates that over 100,000 people are gaining access to drinkable water.
“They’re excited,” Karli says. “They see this system being installed and they know, this is going to save us money so we can rebuild our houses. They’re out working all day. It’s a hot and humid climate. Now they know that they can come and get a drink of water and know that what their drinking water is safe. We tend to think about only the ‘health’ side of it, but this water also aiding in the rebuilding effort. These systems are not just meant to provide temporary relief. They’re going to help in the rebuilding process, and they’re going to be there for generations.”
This article was originally published in the Diplomatic Courier's May/June 2014 print edition. Subscribe here.
Photo Caption: Aerial view of Tacloban after Typhoon Haiyan. A church on the outskirts of Tacloban is one of the few buildings to remain unscathed after Typhoon Haiyan devastated the city on November 8, 2013. Photo by Russell Watkins/Department for International Development/Creative Commons.
